Structural wall and the like



June 11, 1968 A. L. ROBERTSON 3,387,421

STRUCTURAL WALL AND THE LIKE Filed June 30, 1965 66 FIG. 4

IN VEN'IOR. ALAN L. ROBERTSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 01 hce 3,387,421 Patented .lune 11, 1968 3,387,421 STRUCTURAL WALL AND THE LIKE Alan L. Robertson, Newington, Conn, assignor to The United Research and Development (Iompany, Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,440 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-310) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A load bearing masonry wall assembly is constructed using nonstructural building units having parallel facing members interconnected by a weighted cell of smaller exterior dimensions. The assembly of a plurality of such units into courses in a dry condition forms interconnecting passageways which are subsequently filled with a structural binder material adapted to support substantially all the structural load of the wall.

The present invention relates to structural walls, wall units and the like and more particularly to a new and improved masonry Wall construction suitable for use in the building industry.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved nonstructural building units suitable for use as permanent elements in the construction of structural walls and the like, which units facilitate the rapid and economical construction of a wall assembly while at the same time permitting a large variation in the external facings or veneers which may be applied to such wall assemblies.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a permanent building unit for structural masonry walls and the like which can be manufactured from low cost material in a variety of structural shapes and forms and will provide a wall of low weight characteristics per unit of wall area while enhancing the strength, impact, and fire resistance of the resultant structural assembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of constructing structural or load bearing masonry walls and the like which permits an extremely rapid and economical dry assemblage of an increased number of wall building units, resulting in a substantial savings to the industry.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved and facile method for constructing a load bearing structural wall assembly and the assembly so constructed wherein substantially the entire load thereof and thereon is borne by the structural binder independently of the presence of the initially assembled permanent building units.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of te wall structure of the present invention, partially broken away and partially in section for greater clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical building module utilized in the wall of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the module of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a building module of the present invention, partially broken away and partially in section.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail wherein like referenced characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures there is shown in FIG. I a masonry wall assembly, generally designated ltl, constructed in accordance with the present invention and supported by the footing 12. In order to ensure that the first course of the wall 10 is level and true the footing 12 is preferably provided with a slightly raised, accurately leveled portion 14 on which the wall 10 is directly laid. As illustrated, the wall 10 comprises a plurality of substantially identical building blocks or units 16 arranged on the true portion 14 of the footing 12 in the form of consecutive, horizontally disposed courses, each course being disposed directly on top of each other in the form of a continuous vertical wall. The building units 16 of the wall 10 collectively enclose and are permanently secured by the hardened binder material 18, which material gives to the wall substantially all of its load hearing or structural characteristics.

Illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is one embodiment of a generally rectangular twin pack building module 20 comprising a pair of identical building units 16 disposed in integral side-by-side relationship. The module 20, as shown, is formed by joining complementary molded sections 22, 24 along a longitudinal central plane of the module. It will of course be appreciated that each module 20 may be made in various ways and may comprise only a single building unit 16 or a substantial number of such units. For example, a module might include four, six or even eight building units arranged in a single course or covering a plurality of courses. Preferably each building unit 16 used in the construction of a single wall should be substantially identical in both size and configuration in order to best facilitate the application of the structural binder material 18 thereto.

The blocks or units 16 each comprise a pair of thin, flat, generally rectangular facing members 26 integrally joined by an internal or separator cell 28 which maintains the facing members 2c in the desired substantially parallel relationship. Located at the periphery of ach member 26 is an inwardly extending flange 30 which circumscribes the separator cell 28 and provides a groove 32 between the cell and the peripheral flange. In the plural unit modules, such as the twin pack of FIG. 2, the portion of flange 30 located between the cells takes the form or an inward protrusion of double width joining the top and bottom peripheral portions of the flange at their midpoint. Additionally, as best seen in FIG. 3, the external surfaces of the flanges 30 in conjunction with the edge of the two parallel facing members 26 provide flat bearing surfaces 34, 36 on the top and bottom, respectively, of each unit. As will be appreciated the bearing surfaces 34, 36 are disposed within bearing planes which of necessity are parallel to each other thereby permitting the accurate laying or assemblage of the units during the construction of the masonry wall. The facing members 26 are also provided with jointing bevels 38 integral with an projecting outwardly from the facing members around the p riphery of each unit 16 of the module 20. Accordingly at the juncture of two such units there is provided a groove or groutnick 40 which maintains the external appearance of individual, generally square building units 16 over the entire face of the wall 10. Where two modules or separated units are joined the jointing bevels 38 further provide a means for cementing or otherwise joining the separate units or modules thereby rendering a continuity to the entire wall.

The cells 28 of the blocks or units 16 are generally square structures of smaller dimensions than the members 26 and therefore are recessed from the periphery of the facing members 26 along all four sides thereof. As

o d e) a shown in FIG. 3 the cell 28 is generally rectangular in cross section and comprises top and bottom wall portions 42, 44, respectively, integrally joined to the facing members 26 along their entire length and a pair of side Wall 46 joined to the facing members 2s and to the top and bottom walls 42, 44 thereby forming the enclosed cavity or void defined by the separator cell 28.

The cell 28 further is provided with means for controlling the weight and center of gravity of the building unit 16. In the embodiment chosen for illustrative purpose this is eft'ectuated by enclosing within the cell 28 a measured quantity of sand or the like. The aperture 48 Within the bottom wall portion 44 permits the insertion of the required amount of sand 50 or other weighted material into the cell. This will provide a controlled Weight for each building unit 16 and at the same time provide an adjustable means for lowering the center of gravity of the entire module 20. After insertion of the measured quantity of sand 50, the aperture 48 may be closed by suitable moisture porous means, such as a piece of cloth or gauze 52 which will maintain the sand 50 within the cell 28 while at the same time providing a membrane through which excess moisture or placing liquid may pass from the binder 18 to the sand 42 during the hardening process of the binder.

The building units of the present invention are not intended as load bearing or structural portions of the masonry wall assembly and accordingly can be made from inexpensive, compressively weak materials. For example, molded or extruded plastics, such as expanded polystyrene sections, wallboard, foam-filled laminated structures, sheetrock and the like, or combinations thereof may be employed and assembled into proper form in a conventional manner, as by use of a suitable adhesive such as epoxy based bonding material. In accordance with known techniques these materials can also be adapted to provide, inter alia, insulation as well as water and fire proof characteristics.

The building units made, for example, from foamed or expanded polystyrene exhibit very low compressive strength, generally substantially less than 90 pounds per square inch, and accordingly require a structure binder or cement to impart to the finished wall sufficient load bearing or structural characteristics to maintain the integrity of the assembly. The material preferably used for the binder 18 is a thin mortar or cement mixture, commonly referred to as grout, which is capable of readily flowing into the spaces or passageways provided by the assembled modules. Such material generally comprises approximately one part portland cement, three parts sand, percent lime and a sufficient amount of water to provide the desired fluid consistency. As will be appreciated the grout may be of the foamed or cellular type containing entrapped air and may include such additives as plasticizers. As shown in FIG. 1 the binder or grout 18 also may be provided with steel reinforcing rods 54 which assist in carrying the compressive stresses as well as the tensile and transverse load of the wall assembly. Additionally such steel reinforcing tends to reduce the shrinkage crack in the grout and provides additional fire protection by maintaining the integrity of the wall in the event the building is gutted by fire.

In constructing the masonry wall 19, the module units are properly weighted by the incorporation of definite quantities of sand within the separator cells 28 after wh ch the cells are sealed by adhering gauze or the like over the opening 48 in the cell walls. The units are then placed on the level portion 14 of the footing l2 and arranged in courses in a manner similar to the laying of brick with the exception that, according to the present invention, the units are laid up dry. As the courses are laid the units form a grid of interconnected vertical and horizontal passageways outlining the internal cells 28 within each unit. In accordance with the present invention it is con- 4. templated that the weighted module units will make up at least two or more courses prior to the pouring of the flowable grout into the open areas or passageways thereof, the weight of the sand maintaining the original assemblage intact during the pouring of the grout.

After the grout has been poured and permitted to flow not only into the passageways around the cells 28 but also into the interlocking grooves 32 which surround each cell, the grout is permitted to harden and form the grid or networklilre structure depicted in FIG. 1. The porous membrane 52 assists in the hardening process and facilitates the elimination of cracks in the grout by permitting the placing water within the thin fluid mortar to be absorbed by a portion of the sand in each unit. As illustrated, the hardened grout takes the form of a plurality of vertical columns 56 integrally connected by at least one horizontal cross beam or bridging member 58 per building unit. The flowing of the grout into the cell circumscribing grooves 32 forms outwardly extending flanges 69 on the front and rear surfaces of members 56, 58, which flanges cooperate with the cells 28 and flanges 30 of the nonstructural unlts 16 to permanently hold and secure the units within the masonry wall assembly 10. The hardened cement grout within the assembly provides substantially all of the structural or load bearing compressive and transverse strength of the wall through its network of columns and bridging beams. Thus, even though the module and building units provide substantially no structural strength to the masonry wall, it is an advantage of the present invention that there is provided an extremely sturdy structural wall capable of supporting appreciable compressive and transverse loads.

Where desired veneers may be secured to the exterior surfaces of the facing members 26, the latter being particularly suited for the attachment of such veneers as a result of the recesses 62 thereon outlined by the protruding jointing bevels 38. For example, inch thick limestone or similar facing materials might be readily secured to the Wall to give a pleasing exterior finish to the assembly. It will also be appreciated that the molded and extruded plastic units might be externally configured so as to provide various designs on the exposed faces of the members 26.

Referring now to the illustration in FIG. 4 there is shown another embodiment of a plural unit building module 64 wherein the facing members. 66 and the internal separator cells 68 are formed of different structural materials securely afiixed to each other. In this embodiment the facing members 66 are substantially flat elements, being free of inwardly extending peripheral flanges or outwardly extending jointing bevels. Instead, the exterior surfaces 70 of the members 66 are merely provided with the unit dividing groutnicks 72 while the cell 68 contains the aperture 48 covered by the porous membrane 52.

As can be seen from the foregoing detailed description, the present invention provides lightweight, economical building units and modules which can be quickly, easily and permanently installed as a portion of a masonry wall structure yet need not be made from load hearing or structural materials having a. compressive strength greater than pounds per square inch. The wall may assume a variety of external configurations and facilities the incorporation of veneer finishes thereto. Additionally, the grid network of the structural binder material provides a free standing wall which will remain intact even if the nonstructural units are destroyed thus incorporating an appreciable safety factor in such structural assemblies.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure abovedescribed will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A unitizcd building element for use in the construcnon of load bearing masonry wall assemblies as a permanent component thereof comprising a module of low compressive strength material having a plurality of integral generally rectangular building units, each of said units having a pair of thin, fiat, vertical facing members provided with peripheral inwardly extending flanges and flat horizontally extending bearing surfaces on the top and bottom edges thereof, said facing members being arranged in substantial parallelism and being fixedly separated by a generally rectangular enclosed cell spaced inwardly from said flanges, at least one of said cells being provided with a liquid permeable membrane adapted to permit absorption of a structural binders excess placing liquid into an absorptive material in the interior of said cell, said module being adapted for the secure positioning thereof during the construction of said wall assembly.

2. A load bearing ma-sonary wall assembly comprising a structural binder material and the building element of claim 1 constructed of nonstructural material permanently interconnected therewith, said structural binder material being adapted to support substantially all of the structural load on said Wall.

3. The wall assembly of claim 2 wherein the module material is polystyrene.

4. A unitized building element adapted for use in the construction of load bearing masonry Wall assemblies as a permanent portion thereof comprising a module of low compressive strength material having a plurality of integral building units therein, each of said units having a pair of generally flat, vertical facing members provided With bearing surfaces on the top and bottom edges thereof, said facing members being arranged in substan tial parallelism and being fixedly separated by an internal cell spaced inwardly from the edges of each of said units, at least one cell in each unit being provided with a liquid-permeable membrane adapted to permit passage of a structural binders excess placing liquid into the interior of the cell.

5. A load bearing masonry wall assembly comprising a structural binder material and the binder-enclosing building element of claim 4- constructed of nonstructural material permanently interconnected therewith, said structural binder material being adapted to support substantially all of the structural load on said wall.

6. The nnitized building element of claim 4 wherein the module material is polystyrene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,419,400 4/ 1947 Haven 52-72 2,269,018 1/1942 Guignon 52- 496 FOREIGN PATENTS 597,230 1/1948 Great Britain.

28,772 11/1921 Denmark. 1,341,653 9/1963 France.

817,649 10/1951 Germany.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. RIDGILL, Examiner. 

